Success is the goal of every business owner, and preparation is the first step towards that. This is why we discussed starting a Bath and Body Business from Home.
When you are starting from home, it is a whole lot easier, but you are still open to new difficulties.
The truth is there will always be a struggle when starting a business– it does, no matter what type of business.
Planning is the only way to ensure you are on the right track.
Even then, situations may arise, but proper planning helps us handle whatever setbacks come up better.
Fortunately, this post is meant to help you navigate most of these startup challenges with ease.
To do so, we will first look at the bath and body industry, in general, to ensure it is the right fit for you.
Afterwards, we will discuss the pros and cons of doing business and doing it from home.
Before we conclude with all the steps, you need to follow to make sure success is achieved.
The Industry – How to Start a Bath and Body Business from Home
For bath and body products, the focus is on making and/or selling products that clean and care for the body.
The business is lucrative when done right as there is an endless demand for the products you offer.
There is someone somewhere right now looking for the best bath and body product out there.
Their skin is drying up too much or reacting to the current products that they are using.
The customer base used to be more women, but these days the male-gender ratio is almost equal.
Many men are seeing the benefits of having a good skincare routine, which means more customers for you.
The good thing about this type of business is the fact that you can start up with little capital.
Also, the possibility of starting from home helps in reducing the startup cost even more if you take that option.
It is, however important to note that a product that works is the easiest way to retain customers here.
So as you prepare to start your bath and body business from home, know that offering quality products is a major key to success in this business.
How to Start a Bath and Body Business from Home – Advantages
Now, we talk about sharing the pros and cons also.
This is a follow-up to ensure the bath and body business is what you want.
For the advantages of this business, we have things like;
- It is a profitable business with an unending demand for the products.
- The customer retention rate is very high as long as you have a working product.
- Starting from home reduces the startup cost to the barest minimum.
- You would not need a lot to start this business.
- It is a business that helps you impact lives positively.
How to Start a Bath and Body Business from Home – Disadvantages
It is impossible to find a thing with just advantages; there will always be disadvantages.
The goal is to find the one where the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
For starting a bath and body wash business from home, some disadvantages will include;
- The high level of competition, especially with well-known brands.
- A wrong product can reduce your customer acquisition and retention rate.
- It is a time-consuming business, especially when you are making the products.
- Working from home generally comes with problems like lack of concentration, improper scheduling, etc.
How to start a Bath and Body Business from Home – 8 Basic Steps
Now, we have looked at the industry in summary and considered both the advantages and disadvantages.
Moving forward with this conversation simply means you are sure this is a business for you.
So, now let us talk about how to start a bath and body business from home.
There are so many steps, but we have studied them all and compiled a list of 8.
They include;
1. Background Research on the Business/Industry
Doing your research is important – it does not matter the type of business you want to venture into.
There are two things important to your research process; the industry and then your environment.
The correlation between these two will form the pillar upon which business success is going to be built.
You must first understand that the female gender will always dominate the customer base.
This knowledge should play a pivotal role during the branding phase of your business as it should resonate with them.
Since customer retention is usually high, you should see how businesses interact with customers in the field.
You then have to devise a means or method of making your communication less stressful and more effective.
Working from home, which is the model you have chosen, can be challenging when you want to do this.
Being available becomes difficult as it is not the safest to welcome all customers into your home.
That being said, you will have to devise methods of communication that keep you front and centre with the customer.
Understanding also your environment and how they see bath and body products help you define your entrance approach.
While researching, nothing should be left to chance – every piece of knowledge is important and will help move forward.
2. Work on your Niche and Business Model
The very next thing you should look at while planning is the business model and niche you want.
For the business model, it will most likely be a sole proprietorship business since you are working from home.
Another common model we have seen is a family business where siblings or couples go into partnership.
Regardless of which you have chosen for the business, one piece of advice we give is to build an LLC (Liability Limited Company) for the brand.
The main reason we suggest the thing is the fact that it allows the business to stand on its own as an entity.
You are making a skincare product, and in the skincare business, negligence is usually common, leading to court cases.
For instance, you might have an ingredient that is normally insignificant, so you omit it from your ingredients list in the description.
A customer might be allergic to it and sue your brand for negligence as your product caused them harm.
When such situations arise, the LLC will help in protecting your assets from being involved in business issues.
Now you can either decide to form the LLC on your own or pay the minimal state limited liability company cost.
The business model you choose will be between making the products or buying them and selling them to people.
Some people do both at the end of the day, as this is usually the more profitable path to take in this business line.
There is also a long list of products that can be made; this is the point you decide which works.
Knowing the products that work for you will help reduce distractions as you move forward.
3. Properly Document Things
There is nothing more important to the business than documenting everything.
It is not just a thing that affects the bath and body business but something that is found everywhere.
This is why we cannot talk about how to start a bath and body business from home without talking about documentation.
The business model you have chosen to operate under does not change anything here.
So many documents will be required, and the goal should be to get all of them.
The advantages of documenting these things will be seen when your business starts, and you need to reference them.
Moreover, financial plans should be one of the first things you think about documenting when you start.
A rough estimate of how much the business will cost to start and how you will go about seeking the funds needed.
The business overview, which involves everything you have learnt during the research stage, is also important here.
The rule of thumb for this stage is to put everything down into documents – anything at all you can think of.
You should include the marketing plans, branding ideas, and even the method of expansion or reduction if the time comes for that.
Notably, issues arise in the business world, but these documents help you better tackle the good and bad.
It acts as a guide as you are looking to start this bath and body business from the comfort of your home.
4. Learn and Get Certifications/Licenses
One thing that you need when it comes to a business that involves production is the skill required.
Skilled professions are the hardest to start, and the reason for this is you need the skill to do so.
Luckily for us, the basis for making products in this field can be found almost everywhere.
So, if you are not skilled in the act of making bath and body products, this is the time to learn.
Having an in-depth knowledge of the industry gives you an extra advantage over the others in the industry.
This is because you can, at this point, personalize and customize the products you make to appeal to your customers.
But in-depth knowledge is only required when you are going to be manufacturing the products.
If your goal is sales, you should focus on getting all the sales knowledge you can have.
Where you learn becomes important when you factor in the confidence that comes with certification and licenses.
New customers will be more confident to patronize your store if they know you are qualified to make the products.
This is why licenses/certifications are important when you want to know how to start a bath and body business from home.
5. Brand Your Business to Stand Out
The next important thing to do when you want a successful business will be to focus on how you brand your product.
Free advice at this point is to get external help from a professional in the field of branding.
This might not be necessary as long as you are sure you can do a good job with the whole process.
The first piece of the branding puzzle will be choosing a name for your business.
A lot of time should be spent deciding this as you will be using this a lot as you move along.
Customers will meet your name before they even meet you or use your product.
The other things that customers interact with while in contact with your business will be the logo and colour.
Everything plays an important role in the buying journey for the customer, and the experience has to be right.
Aside from that, the packaging will also be a factor necessary for consideration when you are looking to succeed.
Whether you own a shop or do things from home – brand remains a constant with starting businesses.
So, when you are looking at how to start a bath and body business from home, do well to spend time here.
Specifically, name, logo, colour, voice/tone, unique selling point, and value proposition – are all essential to the success of your business.
6. Do all the Necessary Registrations
This is a business that affects the health and well-being of individuals, so the regulations will be strict.
The goal is to get everything across the line in terms of permits even before the business starts.
There will be so many inspections if you want these permits, so make sure you get everything right.
Your ingredients, the equipment used for manufacture – everything has to be by the book for this to work.
There will be permits from several levels, and all of them are important to you and your journey.
You will have to get some from national agencies, state agencies and even local depending on where you are.
It is not just about how to start a bath and body business from home but also about running it.
So, all the permits are important from the start to make sure you do not fall on the wrong side of the law.
Meanwhile, registration after branding should start from the business – registering the business is an integral part of things.
After doing that, you should set up financial accounts for the business using the name you have chosen.
This will help separate the funds for business use from your personal money.
With the business registration, you should apply for an employer identification number (EIN) free on the IRS website.
This will enable you to register for taxes which is the responsibility of every business owner in the United States.
7. Implement all From the Planning Stage
When it comes to starting a business – the first stage is planning, and the second is implementation.
This is what we will focus on as we continue to learn how to start a bath and body business from home.
The implementation stage starts with finances because that is what you need to get most of the things you will need.
So, go back to your documents and look at how you want to source for capital to start the business.
If you are funding the business yourself, you should move the money from your savings to your business account.
When you spend money, it should be from the business account as it helps with proper documentation.
Since we are starting from the house, there is no need to talk about location; that cost is saved.
However, you will need to get the house ready for production or storage if you are just buying the products.
Doing this might cost some money as you will need to get equipment and materials in.
You should be as strategic as possible at this stage of things – do the right thing for optimum performance.
Build a relationship with people who supply your materials for production and have a process for everything.
8. Strategize to Market Your Business
The next step, which is our last, has to do with starting the business properly; this is the most overlooked step.
Slowing down at the finish line might sometimes cost you the price, which is what people tend to forget.
The first step is drafting a marketing plan, which should include offline and online marketing.
A launch event is usually one of the most effective offline marketing campaigns you can do for your product.
This could involve making discounts for the products you are selling.
You should also create awareness online, such as starting a blog or doing a bit of social media marketing to build brand awareness.
Being someone knowledgeable in the field helps build brand trust and brings in customers.
Alternatively, you can offer beauty and skincare tips and routines that involve your products to the general public.
A community is also a nice way to interact with your customers and build their loyalty to your brand.
Putting the brand out there in the face of as many people as possible helps in one way or the other.
Also, strategic partnership with other brands is a way you can drive sales to your brand and reach their customers.
Remember, everybody will need a skincare and bath product at some point; make yours the first they think of.
An extra tip will be participating in community activities since you are working from home to bring them closer.
Those around you should be your most loyal customers at the end of the day.
Conclusion for How to Start a Bath and Body Business from Home
We want to be successful regardless of what we are doing.
This is why we are happy you took the time to start a bath and body business from home.
Having the idea is one thing, but knowing how to implement it determines success in the business.
We have talked about eight steps here, and it is important to reiterate that there is none more important than another.
You will need to spend time taking care of everything to ensure you don’t get issues along the line.
We hope for a comment with photos of your business because you have all the tools to start.
Good luck as you create one of the best brands in the bath and body industry.
